HollowlightFXHow to set up a Halloween window projection
A window projection (also called rear projection) puts a glowing video on a screen inside your window so it looks like a ghost, horseman or talking pumpkin is in your house. Here's everything you need, from the projector to sound. You don't need expensive gear: most people use a budget home projector and a white sheet.
What you need
- A projector that plays MP4 files (USB, HDMI or built-in apps)
- A rear-projection screen, window film, or a white sheet/shower curtain
- A projection video with a black background (like ours)
- A USB stick, laptop, phone or streaming stick for playback
- Optional: a Bluetooth speaker
Projector specs that matter
| Spec | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | 3,000+ advertised lumens (or 200+ ANSI lumens) | Fights porch lights and streetlights. Darker rooms need less. |
| Resolution | 720p native minimum, 1080p ideal | Sharper edges on faces and text. |
| Inputs | USB media playback + HDMI | Loop an MP4 straight from a USB stick with no computer. |
| Throw | Short throw if space is tight | Bigger picture from closer to the window. |
| Rear/flip mode | Rear projection or image flip setting | So the image isn't mirrored from the street. |
Sheet vs. rear projection screen vs. window film
| Option | Look | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| White flat sheet / shower curtain | Good, slightly soft; can show seams and wrinkles | Cheapest |
| Rear-projection screen fabric | Brightest and most even, made for this | Low to medium |
| Rear-projection window film | Image "floats" on the glass; cleanest look | Medium; needs careful install |
Step-by-step setup
- Pick a projector. Any projector that plays MP4 from USB works. Aim for at least 720p native resolution (1080p is nicer) and 3,000+ advertised lumens if there is any streetlight. A short-throw projector fits tight spaces between the window and furniture.
- Choose your screen. A rear-projection screen gives the brightest, crispest image. A plain white flat sheet or shower curtain is a cheap alternative. Window film (rear-projection film) sticks to glass for a 'floating' look.
- Hang it inside the window. Mount the screen or sheet tight against the inside of the window so it is flat and wrinkle-free. Use tension rods, removable hooks or tape.
- Place the projector behind. Put the projector inside the house behind the screen, centered and level, and use rear-projection mode (or flip the image horizontally) so it reads correctly from the street.
- Size and focus. Move the projector closer or farther until the image fills the window, then focus. Keep keystone correction minimal for the sharpest picture.
- Loop the video. Copy the MP4 to a USB stick and turn on repeat in the projector's media player, or loop it from a laptop, phone (HDMI adapter) or streaming stick. Turn off sleep/screensaver settings.
- Add sound (optional). Place a Bluetooth speaker near the window or outside the door so trick-or-treaters can hear the jokes, chants and screams. Keep the volume neighbor-friendly.
- Make it dark. Turn off the room lights behind the screen and porch lights that shine on the window. Black backgrounds in our videos disappear, so only the glowing figure shows.
Brightness tips
- Projection looks best after full dark; start the show about 20 minutes after sunset.
- Turn off lights between the projector and the screen, and porch lights aimed at the window.
- Use the projector's brightest picture mode; disable eco mode.
- Upstairs windows and windows facing the sidewalk get the most views.
Looping playback
- USB stick: easiest. Copy the MP4, open the projector's media player, set repeat to "one" or "all."
- Phone: use an HDMI adapter or screen casting and a looping video player. Turn off auto-lock and notifications.
- Laptop: VLC or any player with loop enabled, full screen, sleep disabled.
- Our videos start and end on the same frame, so the loop is seamless.
Sound tip
Projectors' built-in speakers stay inside the house. For talking or screaming projections, put a Bluetooth speaker by the door or in a cracked window so the audio lines up with the action.
Ready to try it? Browse HollowlightFX projection videos or visit the Etsy shop. Every download includes a printable Projector Setup Guide.